Is the Plan to market Worcester a bust
Same Time Next Year
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It’s been nearly a year since I wrote about the problems that come from
having 11 bosses who are not on the same page about anything, as well as
suggestion...
5 months ago
14 comments:
I think that massport is slowly killing worcester airport, and the plan is to eventually close it, eliminating any competition for any airline traffic in massachusetts. Cause we all know this state hates competition. Its sickening to read that 6 people are pulling in 100k salaries on our taxpaid money managing an airport that they failed operating. And mr. Davis prooved how much of a hack he is, of course he knows what jetblue meant by orh needing improvements like the navigation aids, but aslong as the gravy train keeps coming why do anything? No airlines come, he still gets paid.
jose:
I hate tosay but I am starting to wonder if you may be right.
Bill
So basically the guy who works the most at ORH is getting paid the least. I am of course talking about the custodian and utility person. Floors always have to get washed, and bulbs always need to be changed.
OK bill - Did some digging on the ORH "navigation aids" issue. ORH has a basic VOT system which will tell the pilot range to/from the airport. Next step up is distance to/from the airport. The larger airports have that. So when you have an airport that can not give the pilot distance information, then you need greater line of sight. Less line of sight and you are more likely to be delayed in bad weather. This is what the jetblue CEO is talking about. He is effectively saying that if you want us to fly there, we require equipment that will assure us on-time performance. ORH does not have that. What is sad is that quite a few smaller area airports already have the better equipment. Gardner is one of them.
http://www.airport-data.com/airport/ORH/#navaids
On the massport website they talk about how much they spend on improvements and what they are. Then jetblue says orh needs upgrades before they would consider flights. You contact mr. Davis and he gives you the run around. Massport has owned the airport for almost 2 years now and was only able to bring in 1 airliner that went bellyup due too greedy execs. Funny how the mbta recently built a line to tf green airport (the stoughton line) and there is no plan to build a access road to orh. Not even a single lane road from 290 or the masspike. Let's face it, in massachusetts its all about boston and the cape. The 2nd largest city in new england gets treated like the red headed step kid (no offense to any red heads, I myself am portuguese if anyone wants to make jokes, I'm sure I've heard them all) 2 highly rated hospitals, 10 colleges, 2 minor league sports teams, dcu center, hanover theater, csx project and the largest urban redevolpment outside of boston and massport can't even bring in 1 or 2 airlines or no one is able to market worcester??? Where is tim murray pushing mr. Davis or the city as a place to do business or the place to be? Sorry if I'm ranting or if your eyes are glazing over reading my bitching.
I've said this before, and will continue to repeat it.
Massport took over and purchased the Worcester Airport because they know that Logan will eventually reach capacity. When that happens, they will NEED Worcester. Until that happens, they will merely act as caretakers and keep the doors open.
In the meantime, they're not going out of their way to do anything with it.
Do we know what any of these $100,000 plus employees have for relevant airport operations experience?
Jose', if their eyes have not glazed over with my +itching, they will never glaze over. Also, Massport did not bring DA to Worc in teh 2 yrs they haved the place, as I think DA has been there for about 3 years already. Fact check please someone?
Anonymous, what's the diff. in terminology between range and distance to/from the airport? Is range the oblique measure from plane to airport and is distance teh horizontal measure?
Redundant, but again, Mr Davis says up to 2yrs (about?) to bring a new comm. carrier to worc....well it's been 21 months already.
Does any see why how & why unfunded federal mandates can bankrupt ya. I.e. to maintain fed'l certification the place has to stay open even if only pigoens are flying in. Time to put the FAA on Romneys hit list, too?
This all so very Post Office-esque. Imagine we canned a few warm bodies and used to money to subsidize a comm. carrier
jahn -
My understanding from my readings is "range" will give you a bearing only. A direction of where the airport is, not how far away it is. Imagine the airport is fogged in. The pilot would know in what direction the airport was, but because he would not see it he would not know how far away it was. I really wish someone with flight experience would elaborate.
TY Anonymous. now Bills subsequent thread about JKF has me thinking instead about JKF, Jr and his final fogged in flying experience.
God I couldnt image being so fogged in that one could be flying upside down and not even know it, but I could see where it can happen.
Anyone think that Worc Airport marketing operations might be a little foogged in as far as public transparency goes. How about at least a chronology of what has occurred in 21 months of marketing efforts. Just the history, we dont need to know and understand the confidential nature of any current on going talks w/ comm. carriers.
Soooooooooooo WTH has Tim been lately as far as lighting a match under the aiprots proverbial +++
how "fires" people at massport? clearley mr. davis just doesnt care about his job.
http://www.telegram.com/article/20090111/COLUMN22/901110365/-1/opinion_columns
here is a article from the worcester telegram gazette. january 11 2009. let me highlight a paragraph worth reading:
The plan involves prudent cost control, a build-up of general aviation and ground-based services, vigorous promotion, infrastructure improvements and exploring short-term revenue-generating opportunities while making a concerted effort to “stay ahead of the airline economic cycle and monitor and pursue opportunities in the rapidly changing airline industry.” He proposes to interview former service providers to Worcester (USAir Express, American Eagle, Allegiant) to learn the reasons for their departure and explore requirements that might persuade them to return.
here is another one:
He’s coming to Worcester at a time when, after years of benevolent neglect, the governor’s office is actively engaged in policies regarding Massport, and Lt. Gov. Timothy P. Murray has maintained a direct interest in the future of Worcester’s regional airport. He interviewed Mr. Davis before the appointment.
this article is from 2009!!!! we as tax payers demand answers!! andy davis makes 130,000 a year, taxpayer money. 6 people in all make 100,000 a year on our dime.
Can anyone answer this question...
If Massport somehow lured in United, and they operated E145s and Dash 8s out of ORH, where would the Dash 8s pick up passengers?
I believe the jetways can't load them, and since there are two ground gates those are logical solutions... But there is not a TSA checkpoint to enter, how would that work?
Nick,Having flown out of ORH on a Dash-8many years ago, we first went upstairs through the TSA checkpoint and in the secured area, there are stairs leading down to the ground gates. There is also an elvator for those passengers unable to use the stairs.
I would think that system would still be in place.
John
John,
Thanks for the info...
Good job there Jose' regarding what was said about the future of Worc Airport back in 2009.
Google is a fantastic tool to make politicians explain themselves years later when all their action plans never materialize and hang them on theri own petard.
ANoterh point I have been meaning to make is regarding comments about what a waste of taxpayer money Massport and Worc Airport are. A few years back I once railed on here about Massport/Logan and what waste of "STATE" taxpayer money I was reading it about. I believe it may have been concerning $100,000 year parking lot attendants.
I was soon taken to task by someone in the know who told me that Massport gets no money from the state. I was astonished to learn that. I still find it hard to fathom, but assumed someone else knew alot more than I do about Msssport.
I would suspect they get plenty of Fed'l Money, but evidently no state taxpayer money.
Can Anyone here confirm that no STATE taxpayer money goes to Massport. I guess it kind of begs the definition of state taxpayer money. IF Washington DC gives the state something like a block grant, for example, and then some of that money makes its way to Massport, I guess that technically that isnt STATE taxpayer money???
Tank ewe.
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